(1) Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to a drive member for transmitting a drive force so as to cause a webbing-carrying slider to move and run in a passive seat belt system of the type that a restraining webbing is automatically applied to an occupant subsequent to his sitting in a seat.
(2) Description of the Relate Art:
In a passive seat belt system of the type that a webbing is automatically applied to an occupant subsequent to his sitting in a seat, a guide rail is generally mounted generally on the inner wall of a vehicle body and a slider with the webbing fastened at one end thereof to the slider is caused to move and run on and along the guide rail so as to either restrain or release the occupant.
FIG. 10 is an overall schematic view showing one example of such passive seat belt systems, in which a webbing 1 is secured at an outboard end thereof to a slider 4 by way of a buckle 3. The slider 4 selectively moves and runs between an occupant-restraining position and an occupant-non-restraining position on and along a guide rail 6. Designated at numeral 8 is a drive member which slidably extends through the guide rail 6. A basal end portion of the drive member 8 is selectively taken up by or paid off from a drive drum 9, while a free end portion of the drive member 8 is connected to the slider 4. Upon rotation of the drive drum 9, the drive member 8 therefore serves to transmit a force to the slider 4 so that the slider 4 is caused to move and run.
FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate by way of example the front end portion of the drive member 8, at which the drive member 8 is connected to the slider 4. End metal fittings 82a,82b and slide collars 83 are provided integrally on a main body 81 of the drive member 8. The end metal fittings 82a,82b are adapted to limit movements of the slider 4 along the length of the drive member 8. The slide collars 83 are fitted on the main body 81 with a suitable clearance left between the slide collars 83 and the guide rail 6. FIG. 7 shows the state of connection between the drive member 8 and the slider 4 when the webbing 1 (see FIG. 10) is carried so as to restrain an occupant. The drive member 8 is driven in a direction indicated by arrow A, whereby the lower end face of the end metal fitting 82a at the side of the free end of the drive member 8 is brought into abutment against the slider 4 so as to cause the slider 4 to move and run in the direction indicated by arrow A.
When the webbing is carried to release the webbing, the drive member 8 is driven in a direction indicated by arrow B as depicted in FIG. 8 so that the upper end face of the end metal fitting 82b on the side of the basal end portion of the drive member 8 is brought into abutment against the slider 4 and the slider 4 is caused to move and run in the direction indicated by arrow B. Incidentally, FIG. 9 is a view as seen in a direction indicated by arrow C in FIG. 8.
As illustrated in FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b), the metal fittings 82a,82b have heretofore been formed by fitting a cylindrical crimp metal 84 on the drive member main body 81 having flexibility such as a wire rope, crimping the crimp metal 84 by a press and then enclosing the crimp metal fitting 84 within a resin (see Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 122756/1987). FIG. 5(a) is a front view showing a free end portion of the drive member 8, where such conventional end metal fittings 82a,82b are provided. FIG. 5(b) is a cross-sectional view of the end metal fitting 82a provided on the side of the free end of the drive member 8, as viewed along line V(b)--V(b) of FIG. 5(a).
The conventional structure making use of such crimp metals however requires a step in which the crimp metals are fit on the main body of the drive member and are then crimped, resulting in cumbersome assembly and a higher manufacturing cost.